what is the best dog food in south africa
Best Dog Food In South Africa
Looking for information on South African dog food brands, but all your searches are returning products from the United States or North America?
The brands and recipes available to dog owners in South Africa are vastly different than those in Europe or the United States and so these discussions and articles are absolutely no use.
Well look no further, weve analyzed and reviewed a considerable swathe of dog food products that are available or produced in South Africa and chosen out some of the best.
South African Dog Food Vs. The Rest Of The World
The quality of dog food in South Africa tends to be noticeably poorer than western countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
This poorer quality correlates to lower-quality ingredients being used in the recipes and more inadequate nutritional profiles that are low in protein and fat and high in carbohydrates.
However, this is not surprising given that South Africa has a much lower standard of living than the western world, and many residents can not afford to feed their dogs the expensive foods that many in the west do.
Despite this, there are still imports of premium brands from the United States and Europe. These imports fill an essential niche for those living in South Africa with high incomes.
How We Chose The Best Dog Food
Dog Food quality is a complicated discussion, but we try to stay consistent with our choices. Factor such as ingredient quality, nutritional ratios (Protein, Fat, Carbohydrates, Omega Fatty Acids), Recall History, Animal Testing, Price, and Country of Origin all play a part.
Rather than get bogged down in this article on all the fine details of dog food, we recommend you check out ourDog Food Guide for more information on the dog food topic overall.
You can also check out our All Brand Reviews page to see all of the brands weve reviewed to date.
Best Dog Food In South Africa
Field + Forest Game + Lamb All Breed Adult Review
Field + Forest is a premium dog food brand based in South Africa. It is a sub-brand of Montego, which is one of South Africas largest pet food manufacturers. You can read more about Montego here.
Field + Forests Game + Lamb recipe is probably their most unique offering. Exotic meat ingredients like those contained in this recipe rarely make it into South African dog food due to their high cost and more challenging sourcing requirements.
The recipe uses a mix of Lamb, Turkey, Ostrich, and Game to provide a significant portion of protein and fat that would be satisfactory for the majority of dogs.
Also, the proportion of carbohydrates in this recipe is moderate and far lower than most of its competitor recipes. The carbohydrate proportion is provided by a mix of legumes and other vegetables such as Peas, Chickpeas, and Carrots.
You can read more information about Field + Forest here.
Propac Ultimate Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Review
ProPac is owned by the US company Midwestern Pet Foods, which also owns popular brands like Earthborn Holistic and Sportmix. The company was founded almost 100 years ago and so is well established.
ProPac products are aimed at a lower price point than Earthborn Holistic and so produces more cost-effective recipes such as Chicken & Brown Rice. Other examples of lower-cost formulas include Lamb & Brown Rice and Fish & Potato.
Given the substantial differences in the cost of living in the United States and South Africa, this puts ProPac in an advantageous position.
Their Chicken and Rice formula makes use of Chicken Meal as its primary ingredient. This Chicken Meal has already had its moisture removed, which makes it an exceptionally dense source of protein and fat.
The formula then uses a mix of Brown Rice, White Rice, and Rice Bran to provide carbohydrates and fiber. Wed prefer it if there were more Brown Rice present instead of White Rice and Rice Bran, but this is the reality of lower-cost dog food.
Smaller portions of Peas, Dried Beet Pulp, and Flaxseed are also present and provide additional carbohydrates, fiber, and other nutrients.
Orijen is one of the most popular and famous names in the premium pet food industry. They are based in Canada but sell their food all over the world, including South Africa.
Orijens formulas are known to contain a large variety of high-quality meat and fish ingredients in extraordinarily high proportions. The recipes include at least 10+ meat or fish ingredients in a single formula.
The portion of plant-based material in Orijen recipes is always low, and the small portion they do use is from a large variety of fruits and vegetables.
This range includes commonly used ingredients such as Peas and Chickpeas, but also less common ingredients like Carrots and Squash. Some of these less common fruit and vegetable ingredients can provide a unique combination of vitamins and minerals.
OrijensOriginal Formulais a safe bet and contains a range of meat and fish ingredients, including Chicken, Turkey, Flounder, Eggs, among others. These ingredients are combined with vegetables such as Peas, Beans, Pumpkin, and Squash.
All of these ingredients combine to provide a very satisfactory proportion of protein, fat, and carbohydrates that is ideally suited to the vast majority of dogs.
Check out our extremely detailed Orijen brand review page here for more information.
Eukanuba Premium Performance Working & Endurance Review
Eukanuba is another massive North American brand with a worldwide presence. Eukanuba is owned by Mars Petcare, which also owns some other well-known and large brands such as Royal Canin, Whiskas, and Pedigree.
Eukanuba has a vast product range back in the United States; however, the range available in South Africa is notably smaller. However, one of the formulas that is available is their Premium Performance recipe.
The recipe uses a large portion of poultry ingredients that provide a very satisfactory proportion of protein and fat, perfect for a working or very active dog.
Sadly, Eukanuba uses some grain ingredients that some dog owners are not big fans of, such as Wheat and Maize. These ingredients provide the recipes carbohydrate proportion.
Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural Review
We discussed ProPac earlier and its more premium sister brand Earthborn Holistic. Earthborn Holistic is notably more expensive than ProPac, but this can be worth the cost.
Earthborn Holistics Primitive Natural formula is by far the best recipe from their range. The primary driver behind this is the fantastic proportions of protein and fat that the formula provides.
Primitive Natural contains a considerable portion of meat and fish ingredients, which provide very satisfactory levels of protein and fat. Some of these meat and fish ingredients include Chicken, Turkey, and Whitefish.
The formula also makes use of two staples of the dog food industry: Potatoes and Peas, which provide a small proportion of carbohydrates and fiber. The portion size of these ingredients is not large enough to dilute the level of animal protein, which is crucial.
Another noteworthy trait of this recipe is that it has a surprisingly high level of the Omega 3 Fatty Acid for a formula that doesnt focus heavily on fish. These Omega 3 Fatty Acids are believed to provide several health benefits to humans and dogs alike.
Sadly, the formula does contain Pea Starch, which is a vegetable by-product. You can read more about Vegetable By-products, specifically those derived from Peas in our article Peas, Pea Protein, Pea Flour, and Pea Fiber in Dog Food.
The Pea Starch is used as a binding agent in this recipe, which means it holds the kibble together.
Earthborn Holistic is another brand that weve discussed and reviewed extensively. Check out our overall discussion of the brand here.
Hills Science Plan Performance Chicken Adult Dog Food Review
Hills Science Diet, or Hills Science Plan as it is known in South Africa, is another one of the enormous North American dog food providers.
They produce hundreds of unique recipes that cover every possible breed and size of dog you could imagine.
Thanks to its vast size and product range, Hills has found it easy to distribute some of its products worldwide, including South Africa.
The above recipe is just one that you can find in South Africa. Weve chosen this recipe as it is not tied to a specific breed, and it contains a very generous portion of meat ingredients. This portion of meat ingredients includes a balanced mix of Turkey and Chicken ingredients.
There are very few other ingredients found in this recipe except a moderate proportion of Maize, Beet Pulp, and some oils. Therefore, this recipe may be the right choice for those dogs with an easily upset stomach or sensitivities.
How to choose the best dog food in South Africa
Whether youre about to bring home your new rescue from the SPCA or your local shelter, or you need to choose dog food for your growing pure breed, there are many choices of food for South African dog parents. While many people consider price and availability to be the main factors that influence their choice of dog food, there are quite a number of other variables to look out for:
What is the healthiest dog food on the market?
When we talk about healthiest, we mean the purity and quality of ingredients. Take your time in checking the labels of all the dog food brands you think would be a good fit for your dog, and narrow down your selection based on the percentages of meat, vegetables, grains, corn, preservatives, etc. Take note of the added vitamins and minerals, as well as the serving sizes. Shortlist your favourites and compare ingredients and benefits.
All the dog food varieties available on the Pet Hero website list the ingredients in the description, making this a very convenient exercise when shopping for dog food.
Special dietary requirements
Like humans, not all dogs are created equal. Some breeds may be prone to skin, joint and digestive problems, while some dogs are allergic to certain grains or proteins. Its important that you become familiar with your dogs specific dietary needs and then satisfy them with the necessary dog food. Fortunately for your favourite pooch, most of the quality dog food brands have formulated special diets for dogs with unique dietary needs. Hills Science Diet, Eukanuba, Royal Canin, Olympic Professional, Ultra Dog, Acana and Vets Choice all offer dietary varieties that cater to more than just the different stages of your dogs life. So, whether your dog has a weight problem, painful joints, sensitive skin or a delicate tummy, there are some amazing varieties out there. Ask your vet for samples if you need to shop around.
Your dog food budget
Theres a general consensus that if a dog food is expensive, it must be high quality. While its tough to argue with that logic, the most expensive dog food might not be what your dog wants or needs. This is why its important to do your research and trial-and-error different diets to see which one your dog thrives on. Set your budget based on what your dog enjoys and what keeps him healthy, then choose the relevant brand that fits your budget.
Mid-range options
The best dog food for YOUR dog may simply be a wholesome food option with a mid-range price that meets all the needs of generally healthy dogs and tastes good to him. Montego, Field & Forest, and Jock have great ranges for puppies, adult and senior dogs.
Your dogs nutritional needs may change over time, so keep an eye on his condition and ensure his nutritional needs are being met for his breed, his stage of life, and his taste buds!
Dog Wet Food
Premium Wet Dog Food
ePETstore is an online store that stocks top-tier wet dog food brands like Hills, Royal Canin, Montego, Weruva and many MANY many many more!
We also stock cans, pouches and tubs filled with either tender pieces of meat cooked in its own juices to mouth-watering mousses. You can buy in bulk or simply buy a single, whichever your need, weve got you covered. Teensy-weensy pup in the house? Shop our selection of babydog milk jam-packed with all those dog mommy nutritious goodness. Golden oldie missing a tooth or two, or simply have a fussy eater on your hands? Then be sure to browse and shop our wholesome selection.
Go ahead and welcome quality wet dog food into your home. Your dog deserves it and besides, as mentioned above, our range is wide enough to cater for dogs of all shapes, sizes, ages and personalities too.
Wet food specials?
Great question, and yes, we make a habit of regularly selling premium wet dog food on special or running pretty schweet promos! So be sure to always keep an eye for all those must-participate-in developments on our site.
Do you stock local wet dog food brands?
ePETstore most certainly stocks local and proudly South African dog food brands, made especially for South African dogs. Have an exotic poodle at home? Then shop local to help the South African economy thrive.
Do you stock international wet dog food brands?
ePETstore makes 100% sure those wet dog food brands you love and trust are always on our shelves.
What does premium wet dog food cost?
Contrary to popular belief, premium wet food doesn't cost the same as a yacht. Thanks to ePETstores array of brands, youre bound to find one that suits your budget.
Why shop wet dog food online with ePETstore?
As you know, ePETstore goes to super GREAT lengths to procure the finest and most beloved pet products around the globe (you know it the best both locally AND internationally), because thats just how we roll. MEANING some of the brands we stock are simply not available in certain supermarkets. We pride ourselves in stocking legit and exclusive brands. Of course it also goes without saying, by shopping online with us, you of course also skip ALL those dreaded queues and traffic, since we deliver right to your door anywhere in South Africa be it Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Kimberly, Nelspruit or Polokwane.
